Top Ten Tuesday: Cool Libraries

Welcome to another contribution to the wildly popular Top Ten Tuesday hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week she asks us to share lists on the following:

October 16: Bookstores/Libraries I’ve Always Wanted to Visit

Being a librarian I’m going to make this list about libraries. Not really sure if I have a library visit bucket list so I’m going to head over to Google and simply put in cool libraries and see what the Guru brings me.

Ten libraries I would love to visit.

State of Iowa Law Library: Why not start fairly close to home. This is a beautiful library in Des Moines that I could easily stop at if I took the time. Maybe this October when we are in tow to see Fall Out Boy. Update: This is one library I am able to check off my list. We did stop and check out this library on October 5th, after I had written up this post. It is a beautiful library and if anyone is in Des Moines I highly recommend checking it out. Free to visit and you can even go up one of the spiral staircases. It is much smaller than the pictures lead you to believe.

Harold Washington Library Chicago: This is a library that I’ve actually been to. The picture is of the Winter Garden on the top floor but the building itself is beautiful and a great place to visit while in town.

Ataturk Library Istanbul: Now I have been to a library in Turkey but I can’t believe I never visited this library in Istanbul. I have even visited the area of the city it is in. Regularly! If I ever get back to Turkey I am going to make an effort to visit more libraries.

Library of Celsus, Ephesus Turkey: One more cool library I’ve actually been to. This, of course, is not currently a working library but is, in fact, the ruins of the third largest library of the ancient world. It is a beautiful spot to visit and I hope to go back again someday.

Trinity College Library Dublin, Ireland: I recently learned that I am 12%(update on this too, reanalysis shows I’m only 4 % Irish), Irish so it might be fun to visit this library if I ever get to take a trip to Ireland.

Bodleian Library Oxford U.K.: This library makes my list because it is where Diana met Matthew in Discovery of Witches. I also happen to be 15% English (Update on this as well, I am actually 60% English and NW European) so when I visit Ireland I would like to visit the United Kingdon as well.

Joe and Rika Mansueto Library University of Chicago: Again another library I can’t believe I haven’t visited! I even visited the University of Chicago this summer. Dammit. Oh, Well at least I know what buses will take me back for a visit!

Library of CongressWashington DC: Being the political buff that I am I would love to visit the Library of Congress. I might wait until the current administration leaves off though…

Library at Pontifical Lateran University Rome Italy: This is on the list because I really want to visit Italy sometime in my life and have 0% interest in visiting the Vatican.

Newberry Library Chicago: I keep meaning to visit this library in Chicago when I’m in town. Mainly because it was featured in The Time Traveler’s Wife.